Apologies
by Alchemist's Dreamer
Summary: Heads or Tails. If given the chance would Ed go back and change the past? Two part story in Ed's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

**-Apologies-**

Summary- Heads or Tails. If given a chance would Ed go back and change the past? Two part story in Ed's point of view.

Disclaimer- I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist. Nope, not at all.

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**Chapter One - Heads**

_Here I stand before this man who claims he is time itself._

I tell him that it is not possible to change the past, but he has already acquired my attention. He says that I have been given a second chance, to change the past and correct my failure. Human Transmutation. He has truly captured my attention now, though I wonder why I have been given another chance.

"This mirror will allow you to continue a life where your failure does not exist."

The object in question is held in his arms, though it's not very decorative there are a few patterns around the edges. I reach out for the mirror and as my fingers graze its surface it ripples like water. My hand plunges deeper into the water and astonished I pull it back out. For just one short moment, it wasn't automail anymore, but when I pulled it back out I was staring at cold, hard steel. After what seemed like an eternity I raised my head to look up at the man, but he is gone, the mirror seems to be floating on air. How had I not noticed that he had left? But then his voice echoes in my mind and I immediately forgot my confusion.

"Take your time little one, this choice is important."

I felt a brief flare of anger, it was almost an emotional instinct by now. Was he calling me short! Then I remember, when I always lost my temper, Al would always be there to hold me back. Why isn't he here with me? Hot tears fill my eyes and blur my surroundings while I try to swallow the lump in my throat and quell the knot in my stomach.

_Al…_ Can I really fix my mistake? Return Alphonse to normal again? There is no answer so I look back to the mirror. Mist is now swirling around it, taunting me, reminding me how tired I am. Tired of my failure, my repeated mistakes, tired of being a dog of the military, tired of fighting the homunculi.

And beginning to become tired of _life_.

I reach out to the mirror again, this time I can feel it pulling me and I succumb to its wishes. My automail arm is the first thing to submerge beneath the liquid-like surface of the mirror and soon, everything becomes replaced with a different scenery. Now I can see a house in the distance, it looks very familiar, like our old house that we burned down before we left. And then I realize that it is our old house, and there is someone standing in front of it waving to me. Someone with sandy brown hair and cloudy grey eyes. Alphonse Elric, no longer just a suit of armor with a soul attached to it, but now a breathing, living person. He is waving me home. With a light feeling in my chest I wave back and he smiles, I can see it. No longer am I burdened with the heaviness of the automail I run to him and he welcomes me home. Brother to brother.

But somewhere in my heart I feel the need to apologize.

"_I'm sorry Nina."_

-

Hesitation, then added almost as an afterthought.

-

"_I'm sorry Mustang."_

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End Chapter One- 


	2. Chapter 2

Summary- Heads or Tails. If given a chance would Ed go back and change the past? Two part story in Ed's point of view.

Disclaimer- I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist, or the little thing from Tales of Symphonia at the bottom. (Me no own Tales of Symphonia)

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**Chapter Two- Tails –**

_Here I stand before this man that claims he is time itself._

I tell him that it is not possible to change the past, that there is only the future to look forward to but he has already acquired my attention. He says that I have been given a second chance, to change the past and correct my failure. Human Transmutation. He has truly captured my attention now, though I feel uneasy and unsure of what my choice would be.

"If you accept, this mirror will allow you to go back and will allow you to continue a life where your failure does not exist."

The object in question is held in his arms. I reach out for it and as my fingers graze its surface it ripples like water. My hand plunges deeper into the water and astonished I pull it back out. For just one short moment, it wasn't automail anymore, but when I pulled it back out I was staring at cold, hard steel. After what seemed like an eternity I raised my head to look up at the man, but he is gone, the mirror seems to be floating on air. How had I not noticed that he had left? But then his voice echoes in my mind and I immediately forgot my confusion.

"Take your time little one, this choice is important."

I felt a brief flare of anger, it was almost an emotional instinct by now. Was he calling me short! There was a feeling of amusement in the air, but it wasn't from me. Now he's laughing at me! Soon my anger is forgotten and replaced by a sort of tension now. I look back at the mirror and inspect it closer. Though it's not very decorated it seems to emit an aura that reassures me and pulls me towards it.

"Whether you choose to leave or not, remember the consequences of your actions."

The consequences of my actions? Oh, I see, he means what we did when we during our time looking for the stone. Ironic, we did eventually found it, but we weren't willing to sacrifice that many lives, while so many others would do anything to possess it.

I think of the people we met, friends we made and I waver even more. Going back into the past and changing it means that all those people we met wouldn't remember. The things Al and I accomplished wouldn't have happened.

That means that Cornello might still be conning the people of Lior, Russell and Fletcher… What would've happened to them? The people in that mining town, would they still be underneath that military man's rule? Who would be the state alchemist of the people? So many things happened… Would I really throw all of those experiences away? When I think about it, many of the things Al and I went through shaped who I am right now.

Hesitation is my undoing, the Guardian (what I'm calling that man) can see it in my eyes I think he knows what my choice is, I already do. I thought, what would Al do? And my answer lay in front of me like a spread sheet.

"I can't do it."

I think the man is smiling, but I don't know why. So I remain still and don't say a word. My choice has been decided, but, I-I…. Don't know…

"I'm sorry Al. I'll find a way, this just isn't it."

The room around me is slowly disappearing now, becoming replaced with somewhere else. The first solid thing I see is Al, the same Al, in a suit of armor. But, I feel, that if he could be, he would be smiling. I don't know why, but maybe the guilt has been lifted away a little. But I still have to apologize, I had the chance and let it slip away.

-

_"I-I'm sorry Al…"_

_-_

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Déjà vu. It feels familiar this scene, but I don't know why.

Here I stand before this man who claims he is time itself.

-

_Farewell to you who stands at the end of the path I chose not to follow, I do not regret my choice, given the chance I would do the same thing all over again._

_-Mithos Yggdrasil - Tales of Symphonia-

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End Chapter Two- 


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